The invention relates to improvements in bacon analog products and processes. Although there have been many recent advances, the bacon-simulating products presently available continue to have disadvantages.
Considerable research has focused upon developing new ways for producing a variety meat-like, protein-containing foods from various vegetable and animal protein sources. Economics has provided a major incentive. The production of meat by animals is inefficient. It is more efficient and economically sound to directly employ the vegetable materials in the human diet to at least partially replace meat. This is especially true where the ever-increasing human population is feared to be outdistancing our ability to provide grazing land for meat-producing animals. Also, there are many good quality animal protein sources available which can provide low-cost alternatives to meat when properly processed.
Prior art efforts in producing meat analogs have generally failed in one or more respects to produce synthetic products having textures, appearances, and flavors equivalent to the natural products. However, progress is apparent over the years. An early patent to DeVoss, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,706, teaches forming a vegetable gel from the proteinaceous content of soybeans. Other early efforts were, as evidenced by the Boyer patents, U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,466; 2,730,447; and 2,730,448, drawn to preparing spun protein fibers resembling meat fibers. Later contributions were made by Anson, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,802,737 and 2,839,902, who developed a vegetable protein product prepared from a nonuniform mixture of meat-like protein gel having therein a minor amount of kneaded dough. The Anson products were intended for preparing luncheon slices as a nutritious substitute for the meat-based luncheon slices on the market. Further developments by Anson are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,813,024; 2,813,025; 2,833,651, and 2,879,163, which are generally drawn to producing meat products resembling meat spreads, or drawn to the use of protein filaments to synthesize meat. A further attempt at making luncheon meat analogs and the like is disclosed by Durst, U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,873, who makes luncheon loaves by forming a gel-like dispersion containing an external phase formed from edible hydrophilic film-former, and a discontinuous internal phase formed from an edible lipophilic fluid.
The production of bacon analogs appears to be a promising facet of this technology. And the preparation of bacon-like products has progressed to the point that some bacon analogs have seen commercial exposure. One commercial bacon analog was based on a recent patent to Hartman, U.S. No. 3,320,070, which describes preparing a bacon analog by binding acid coagulated protein fibers with a vegetable protein matrix. Another commercial product is believed to be prepared according to the teachings of Belgian Pat. No. 825,123. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,677 to Leidy et al., also describes a bacon-like product and a method for preparing it. That product and method overcame many of major shortcomings of earlier prior art efforts. Following the Leidy et al. disclosure, it is possible to produce synthetic bacon which has a texture, appearance, and flavor quite similar to natural bacon. This product, however, like natural bacon and many of the earlier prior art efforts, does not hold up to moisture as well as would be desired under some circumstances. If left exposed to moist air for extended periods of time after frying, it tends to lose its crispness. And, along this line, it and natural bacon tend to become softened after relatively short periods of time when placed next to a moist ingredient, such as a tomato in a BLT. Additionally, this bacon analog product is somewhat more friable than desired. It would, therefore, be advantageous to obtain a bacon analog which would better maintain its crispness in the presence of moisture and better resist rough handling.
In a recent patent application, Ser. No. 395,793, filed Sept. 10, 1973 and assigned to the assignee of the present application, a process and apparatus are disclosed for continuously producing bacon analogs of the type described by Leidy et al. The process described therein, however, does not fully recognize the advantages of preparing a relatively dense total product, lean and fat phases, and does not attain the most effective, higher densities. The process therein disclosed results in a product that is too susceptible to losing its crispness upon exposure to moisture and more friable than is desired. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a process capable of producing a bacon analog product more resistant to moisture and rough handling.